Police in Moscow detained about 60 people on Sunday at a rally organised by the Kremlin-friendly Communist Party, the party said. The arrests reportedly occurred as the event was winding down; the party's Moscow branch said it was working to secure the release of those held, who were mostly young people.
Telegram channel Ostorozhno Novosti reported that demonstrators chanted slogans including "Freedom for political prisoners," "For fair elections," and "Down with the Tsar." The gathering commemorated the anniversary of the October 1993 confrontation in Moscow, when authorities violently put down a parliamentary uprising.
In this photo released by Russian Communist Party Press Service, People with flowers and portraits of those who were killed during the 1993 bloody clashes between government forces and supporters of the rebellious parliament gather to rally marking the 33rd anniversary of the events in front of the Monument to the heroes of the Revolution of 1905, in Moscow, on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026. (Russian Communist Party Press Service via AP)(AP via AP)
Context
The rally came amid growing public frustration in Russia, exacerbated by an increase in Ukrainian drone strikes deep inside the country. Those strikes have damaged oil refineries and warehouses, contributed to fuel shortages and disrupted daily life in several cities, including Moscow.
1993 Crackdown
The October 1993 violence capped a prolonged standoff between President Boris Yeltsin and hard-line lawmakers who opposed his market reforms. After Yeltsin dissolved parliament and demonstrators supporting the legislators tried to seize the state television broadcasting centre, he ordered the military to intervene; tanks shelled the parliament building. Authorities reported 123 people killed, while some unofficial estimates place the toll higher.
Political Angle
The Communist Party has been a prominent parliamentary force since the 1990s and has been led for more than three decades by Gennady Zyuganov, an 82-year-old former Soviet official. During Vladimir Putin's more than 25 years in power the party has at times criticised aspects of government policy but has largely avoided direct attacks on Mr. Putin personally and remains a steadfast supporter of Russia's war in Ukraine.
What officials say: The Communist Party said most detainees were young and that its Moscow branch is seeking their prompt release.
